Memories of Love
by tilinelson2
Summary: I challenged myself to write about a non-canon shipping in Phantasy Star IV I've always loathed. There is "bonus chapter 5" based on one of my fanfics, "The Mad Telemental", for those who want a very happy ending for this loathsome shipping.
1. A New Love Story

A tall young man was seated by the campfire, chatting with a blue-eyed brown-haired woman. They were watching a teenage couple from a distance. The couple was embracing, trying to hide from the rest of the group, but there was no place to hide in the open desert. The young man was laughing aloud because of the scene.

"Ha ha ha! What have I told you? I was sure Shun and Lynn would end kissing. They were acting so foolishly in the past few days, as if they had never seen a member of the opposite sex before. Of course it would end in sweet teenager love. Don't you agree?"

"Yes." The girl, seated by his side, embraced her legs shyly and stared blankly at the bonfire. Her companion's direct stare made her feel somewhat uneasy. It seemed to her that his blue eyes were shining more than usual that day. Maybe it was just the fire reflecting in his eyes, but she was touched by the beautiful effect of the light of his blue eyes in contrast with the blackness of the night and it made her feel unusually shy. No, she was not just a silly and dreamy teenager like Lynn. Though she was just a bit older than the other girl was, she had a completely different personality. Despite her angelic blue eyes, she was free-spirited, independent and strong. The girl certainly didn't have patience for silly love games; she liked things clear and direct. However, even being mature and not particularly romantic, she was still a woman who, deep inside, longed for an intimate relationship. So, silly as the scene was, it still had an impact on her spirits.

"Pathetic, isn't it?" The blue-haired man was trying to rearrange his long hair, which had been messed up by a sudden gush of wind. He stared at his beautiful companion with a big smile on his face.

The girl shook her head. "No, Rune, I don't think it is pathetic. It was just expected, coming from two teenagers, with their hormones boiling and living amongst strangers. I would never have the nerve for this silly game of blushing and giggling, No, if I were to be in a relationship, it would be completely different."

"Really? How would it be, Alys?" Rune was suddenly interested in his companion. He rested his chin on his hand and stayed staring at her. Though they had known each other for some months, Rune couldn't remember discussing love and relationships with Alys.

"I don't know..." Alys bit her lower lip hesitantly. "I think I'd look for a more mature relationship. I don't have the stomach for this teenage silliness. I'm usually attracted to older and more experienced men."

"So you are the kind of girl who prefers older guys, eh?" Rune winked at Alys playfully. "I admit I have a taste for more mature girls, too. You know, I'm irresistible to teenage girls, but I'm not interested in them."

Alys rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, irresistible."

"Alys..." Rune took Alys' hand into his. "You are very mature for your age. I really admire you."

"Really?" Alys blushed. She couldn't deny that Rune was irresistible to her too, but not only because he was good-looking and charming. He was also very mature, he had a great sense of humor that she loved, and, the most important thing, he was very responsible. Most of the hunters of the group were reckless and sometimes Rune acted as a mentor. Thinking back, when she first joined the group, she found it very awkward that Rune was part of the group, as he was no hunter, but an intellectual. Occasionally, Rune would help the group using techniques and magic. At first, Alys shied a bit at his presence, but by knowing him better, she learned that he was a nice young man. He had his flaws, mostly linked to his arrogance, but his qualities outnumbered his flaws. In Alys' eyes, he was fit for a relationship with her, though she had never given much thought to this possibility.

"Yes, Alys, you are. I admire you. Your intelligence and maturity levels are far higher than the intelligence and maturity of the other girls at your age. You are an adult, while the other girls, like Lynn, are just silly teenagers. I love your independent spirit. In fact, I hate those teenagers who act as if they desperately needed someone else to complete their lives. I don't think people should think that way. We are complete by ourselves. We must be strong by ourselves. I have no problems with marriage. Though I don't see myself getting married in the future, it is still a valid experience if two people feel themselves complete and are marrying for a greater goal. I think you are not the marriage kind as well, am I right?"

Alys hesitated a bit. She was not the marriage kind, but thinking it over, she could want it for a distant future. Not now though. As for starting a new relationship, she could see it coming soon. Rune was looking at her exactly the same way her previous boyfriends had looked at her in the past. She had not seen it coming, but that would not be a bad idea. She was trying to mature as a hunter, as she intended to make it her full-time job. She was trying to mature in life, as she was still young, but already living by herself. She didn't really need a relationship, like Shun and Lynn. However, a relationship with Rune would not be bad, given she didn't put high expectations in it. She was young and free, she had the right to have some fun.

Alys was still thinking about an appropriate answer for Rune's question, when she noticed Rune leaning dangerously towards her. She knew what he meant. The girl had already faced that kind of situation many times and she knew that she had less than five seconds to decide whether it would be a good idea or not. She could try to weigh the pros and the cons of accepting or rejecting the impending kiss, but she just shut off her mind and let her instincts rule the situation. Alys closed her beautiful blue eyes and waited. She felt the proximity of Rune's face and soon she was feeling the expected pressure on her lips. Her heart started beating faster as Rune's tongue tried to explore her mouth. She let his tongue inside her mouth and answered with her own tongue, shyly exploring her companion's mouth.

The kiss didn't last for long because, despite Alys' positive reaction, Rune was not sure she had really accepted his advance, so he didn't enlace her body in his arms. As Rune pulled his lips away, breaking the kiss, he smiled at Alys. Alys did not reciprocate the smile; she was still unsure about her own feelings. She needed some time to think about the relationship. But the kiss had been so pleasurable that she decided to think about that later. She reasoned that she should do what she felt like at the present and forget the future. She would have lots of time to think about the future later and it would not be wise to spend the opportunity thinking about the future while she could be spending the time kissing the hot, handsome esper.

Alys had already made up her mind, but her countenance didn't give any hints to her decision. Rune frowned at her lack of reaction. "What is it, Alys? Didn't you like it?"

"Of course I didn't."

Alys pretended to be angry to play a trick on Rune, but her humor was lost on him, so he became worried. Carefully measuring his words, he tried to reason with Alys.

"Why not, Alys? It was a friendly kiss, to show you how much affection and respect I have for you." Rune was clearly embarrassed.

Alys had a seductive grin on her face as she answered. "Exactly, because it was just a friendly kiss. And also because it didn't last enough, you silly boy." Alys took the initiative and kissed Rune when he was not expecting it. This time, however, it was a long and passionate kiss, in a tight embrace, body exploration included. And they kissed again. And again. And again. Soon they were kissing like the other couple had done minutes before. Only, this time, no one considered it pathetic. At least Rune didn't. Technically, it was as pathetic as Shun and Lynn's kisses, but both Alys and Rune could not guess that those kisses were just the beginning of a long story of ups and downs, pleasures and pains, happiness and sorrow. And they didn't care. They just wanted to live in the present. And the present was magic.


	2. The Best Days of Their Lives

As the days passed, Rune and Alys' relationship proved to be more than just physical attraction. While the couple Rune was making fun of on the day he first kissed Alys had fallen apart in just a few days, Rune's love affair with Alys became stronger each day. There was a strong bond connecting them, a bond that would keep Alys and Rune connected through all their lives. Much more than just romantic love, Alys and Rune developed deep respect and admiration for each other.

Their relationship was not very romantic. People would see them chatting, playing tricks on the other people from their group or performing activities together much more often than kissing or staying together like lovers do. Their relationship didn't have much physical intimacy; it was more a matter of spiritual intimacy. Though they knew each other for just a few months, they felt like they have known each other forever.

Rune acted as a guiding light for Alys, making her mature very fast. Alys had had many superficial relationships in the past with boys, but those relationships had only been cheap thrills, with no deeper meaning. She would feel attracted to some random guy and they would stay together until she got tired of the guy or the guy got tired of her, whatever happened first. With Rune, things were completely different. She could never get tired of him, but not because she was in love with him. She could never get tired of him because he made her feel like a woman, not just a silly teenager; he pushed her limits and encouraged her personal growth. That he was handsome, hot, had a warm embrace and a thrilling kiss was just a bonus on their relationship.

Rune was enjoying his relationship with Alys. Though he was almost ten years older than the girl, she was mature enough to provide him much more than sweet lips to kiss and a soft body to hold. She was intelligent, strong, independent, courageous, good-humored and responsible. Rune valued all those traits in Alys' personality. Pretty girls, he had already had lots of them in his life, so these traits were what made Alys special in his eyes. He, who had always been so responsible, so much in charge of his own life, let himself enjoy the relationship a bit as a common man, with no worries, with no future plans, just for the sake of having a good time with a nice girl.

But he was no common man and, after four months of the relationship, Rune had to make a hard decision. He started receiving visits from mysterious men in white robes, pressing him to make a decision. He tried to keep those visits secret to members of the hunting group, especially to Alys, but the pressure had increased in the last weeks and the mysterious visitors threatened to force Alys out of his way if he stayed hanging around with the hunter's group. That meant he had to resume his studies as a Lutz in Esper Mansion, back in Dezoris. That also meant leaving Alys for a while, maybe a long while. Besides that, as much as he loved Alys, he felt their relationship was also harming her future. He knew that she would do better leaving that independent hunter group and joining the hunter's guild, where she would study and become a professional hunter. The independent hunter group was meant for rogues, unsuccessful ex-hunters and people too young to enroll the academy, like Shun or Lynn, but not for Alys. Alys was not only old enough to enroll the academy but she also had what it took to be a professional hunter: she was responsible, serious, studious, a hard-worker and determined to succeed in her life. He could feel she was ready for great achievements in her life. As Rune could not join the hunter's guild, his presence would only encourage Alys to remain in the group instead of seeking greener pastures.

It was a painful dilemma. Rune had to choose between his immediate happiness with Alys and their future. His mind demanded him to choose the latter, while his heart asked him to choose the first. There was no compromise solution. There was always a possibility that he could meet her later, after his training was complete, but he knew it would be, most probably, too late. Although their feelings were very intense, they had known each other for just a few months and their feelings would not survive several years of absence. After a lot of inner struggle, Rune made his decision.

.

An hour before the sunset, Rune went to Alys' tent. His presence surprised the girl, as she was not expecting him before the sunset. Alys smiled at him and blushed a bit. Rune was feeling guilty of having to tell the girl his decision, but he couldn't postpone it further.

"Rune! Oh, my dear..." Alys was overjoyed at the sight of her boyfriend.

"Oh, Alys, I have some news to tell you." Rune's tone was very serious and it raised some suspicions for Alys.

"What happened, my love?"

"Well, I have a very important thing to tell you, my dear. Could you please come with me, Alys? I'd like to have this conversation outside. The afternoon is so pleasant today."

Alys was very anxious, but she complied with his request. She had realized something was wrong. Rune couldn't hide he had something very serious to tell her. His hesitation only made Alys feel worse. She was a bit pessimistic about life and her mind insisted on considering only alternatives that would be bad for her, increasing her anxiety.

The couple walked in silence, hand in hand, through the arid Motavian plains. Rune lead the way to a small mount, surprisingly covered with grass and some sparse vegetation. There was also some wildlife, especially birds. After climbing up the mount, Rune sat on the grass and motioned for Alys to sit in front of him. The sun was starting to set and there were some dark clouds in the sky a few miles away. As she sat, he took her hands into his hands. Alys was so anxious that she decided to break the silence.

"Tell me, Rune, what happened"

"I'll have to leave you for a while..." Rune was clearly embarrassed by the situation.

"A while? How much?"

"A long while, I fear. Years." Rune looked down, as he couldn't stand the stare of his loved one.

"Years?" Her voice was shaking.

"Remember, Alys, I've told you one day I'd have to resume my studies..." Rune sighed deeply. "The time has come."

"So you are leaving me?"

"Yes, I am."

It was Alys' turn to look down. She was trying to digest the news. She was less than happy with the prospects of being left alone. She loved Rune dearly and though she was not a passionate girl, her love was true. Alys bit her lower lip.

"Are you going to visit me once in a while?"

"Sorry, dear, I just can't. I'll be taken to Dezoris." Rune shook his head. He wanted to avoid Alys stare because he knew she would cry.

"Dezoris? Is it possible?" Alys was partly surprised by the possibility of going to Dezoris, partly shocked by learning Rune would not be able to visit her.

"Yes, Alys. I can't explain much, but, please, Alys, trust me." Rune touched Alys' chin and raised her head in order to stare deeply at her eyes. "I would never want to leave you like that, but I have to go and fulfill my destiny. It is not something I can choose. It is just beyond me. I have to do it for the safety of Algol!"

Rune stared down again. He doubted his words would have a positive impact on Alys. He expected her to start crying sooner or later. He wanted to cry as well. Though his love for Alys was mature, it was hard to think he might never see her again. However, to his surprise, Alys didn`t break down in tears. She stayed in silence for some seconds and then turned to him.

"When will you be leaving? Today?"

"Tomorrow morning." Rune said so with a voice so faint that he wondered whether Alys had heard him or not.

"So I guess it is a goodbye." Alys' voice had some traces of sadness, but she was mostly resigned, to Rune's surprise.

"Well, I think it is. But before going, I'd like to make our last night together special." Rune grinned.

"What do you have in mind?" Alys nonchalant response made Rune frown, but there was no going back, so he had to risk it.

"Alys, my dear Alys. I wish I could stay, but that is not the case. As I really have to go, I'd like to go with a very special memory of our last night together. A memory so dear that will give me strength to face whatever fate has reserved to me. A memory to make me always remember you with happiness and love."

Alys was confused by Rune's words. "So what do you have in mind?"

"Oh, Alys, we've never been intimate."

Rune was anxious, waiting for an answer from his gorgeous girlfriend, but she frowned. "Oh, Rune, I didn't expect that coming from you. Is it really what you have in mind?"

"I thought it would provide us a beautiful memory of love, so we can keep it in our hearts while we are apart. Am I wrong?" Rune was visibly annoyed. He expected a positive answer.

"I think it would be a nice memory, but not when we have never done that before and you are going to leave me tomorrow. Morality apart, it still sounds fishy. If you had asked me for more intimacy before, I'd gladly accept, but as you didn't, it was really terrible timing to ask me now." Alys was very serious and sure of her arguments.

"But Alys, we have done that before with other people we will never see again and it was still all right. Why should we refrain from doing that when we love each other so much?" Rune's tone while reasoning didn't help him much.

"Because I've never done it before." Alys voice faded away and her cheeks became red.

"What?" Rune yelled pathetically, surprised.

"I have never done it before! What is the problem?" Alys answered, irritated.

"No, no problems. But it changes things a bit, doesn't it?" The esper was embarrassed.

"Look at me, Rune. I'm no fool and I'm not a romantic either to believe I should save myself for the right guy. I don't believe there is even a right guy. You know me well to know that I don't have the intention of settling down in the future. I'm not ruling out a marriage or even having children, but even if it happens, it will have to be my way. My husband will have to cope with my rhythm or hit the road. You know there is nothing I value more than my freedom." Alys' tone was a bit aggressive because she didn't want to look fragile to Rune.

Rune reasoned for a few seconds and then answered. "I'm aware of what you just told me now. I thought your independence would let you share a magic moment with the man you love, no regrets, no hard feelings, just for the sake of being true to your own feelings."

"I am being true to my feelings. To tell you the truth, Rune, I would survive having sex with you and being abandoned the next day. Many women sillier than me face that kind of situation every day and most come out of the experience unscathed. But my feelings tell me that, though meaningless as my first time will be, I wanted it to be with someone who would, at least, kiss me in the next day and want to do it again."

Alys had her arms crossed. She was trying to not break down in tears. She had not seen it coming. She could live with the idea of growing apart with Rune, but not now, when everything was perfect. Not now, in the best days of her life. Her feelings told her to throw herself in Rune's arms and do whatever he demanded from her, but her pride would not allow her to do so.

Rune stretched his arm and started gently caressing Alys' cheek. Alys was deeply moved by Rune's caress, so she pushed his hand from her face.

"That is not fair of you, Rune."

"Alys, please, listen to me." Rune leaned his body towards Alys and stared into her eyes. "It is not that I don't want to kiss you tomorrow. I just can't stay. Rest assured, my love, I'll be thinking of you while I'm there. It is not a farewell; it is just 'see you later'." Rune grinned.

"But will you ever come back?" Alys said with a shaken voice.

"I'll try. I swear I'll try." Rune kissed Alys' hand.

"And what if you don't? Am I supposed to wait for you? If you never return, I'll have spent all my life uselessly." Alys looked down and shook her head. "No, Rune, it must not be this way. If we cannot be together, it is better that we break up now."

"No, Alys… Alys!" Rune gently pushed Alys' chin, forcing her to stare into his eyes. "Alys, you have got it all wrong. Whatever we do today must not determine our future actions. If I return next week and you have already moved on, it is all right. I just wanted you and me to be true to our own feelings today, no future fears. We can't change the past; we can't control the future, my love. All we can do is build the present according to our true feelings. This day will last a thousand years, Alys, if you want it to. "

Rune's words had shaken Alys. She knew he was right, at least her feelings told her so. By not considering the future, everything she wanted was to throw herself in her lover's arms and make love until the dawn. Who cared about the future? If she was condemned to be sad in the next day, why not to enjoy the best she could that night. Why not do it with someone she really loved? If not him, she would do it with someone else, anyway. At least Rune was parting because he needed to go, not because he had stopped loving her. Rune was right, the best thing she could do was to enjoy the night with him and have a beautiful memory in her mind, to give her strength to overcome the feelings of loneliness in the future, to paint a beautiful picture in the album of memories of her life. She couldn't resist anymore, so she threw herself in her lover's arms.

"You are right, my love. Let's do it. It is the best we can do now." She had tears in her eyes, as she could not hold them back anymore.

Rune stood up. He had a beautiful smile on his face. "Don't cry, Alys, I want to make you the happiest girl in the word tonight. Let's go."

Alys had a suggestive grin in her face. "Do you promise to be gentle?"

Rune laughed. "Am I not a gentleman?"

The couple laughed. Rune helped Alys up and they walked hand in hand, chasing rainbows under the kaleidoscopic lights of the sunset in the horizon and the sweet song of the nightingales. Great Light blessed to the most beautiful moment of their lives with touches of Mother Nature's poetry. If there were witnesses to the scene, they would swear they could see Great Light itself smiling in the sky.


	3. Long Agos and Worlds Apart

Alys woke up with the sun in her eyes. She was sleeping comfortably in the grass. For a moment, she believed she was resting her head on Rune's muscular chest, but soon she realized it was her own arm. This idea sounded like an alarm in her mind and the hunter girl opened up her eyelids. Her sapphire eyes met the cerulean blue of the open sky from Motavia. After focusing her thoughts, Alys sat up instantly and looked around. She saw some green bushes, small trees and occasionally some rabbits and squirrels running. She could hear the birds singing as the day began. However, her greatest fear had become true: Rune was nowhere to be found. He must have left while she was still sleeping, dreaming of the unforgettable moment they have had the night before.

Suddenly aware of her half-nakedness, Alys buttoned her bra and tried to straighten her dress, which had been her blanket for the night, before wearing it. In the process, she became aware of a tingling sensation inside her, making the memories of the night come back to her mind. Alys daydreamed for a while. The stream of thoughts took her back to the most magical moment of her life, in the arms of her beloved Rune, and took her back to the cruel reality. Rune had left her.

With her spirits down, Alys prepared to return to the hunter's camp once more, but for the first time in her life, alone. She had enjoyed the previous day, as if it were the last day of her life and it had been perfect, but now she had to face the bitter reality of life, where the future mattered. And she had no plans for the future. While packing up her things and thinking about her alternatives for the future which would soon become the present, she noticed a small piece of paper lying on the grass. Her heart started racing, for she knew it was left there on purpose and by whom. The only thing she didn't know was what was written on it, but it didn't take her long to lay her anxious eyes in the letters which combined formed her love's farewell words.

_Dear Alys,_

_Sorry for leaving you like this. You know I love you and I wish I could stay forever by your side. But you also know I had to go. I know these parting words are not the best way of parting with you, but I preferred to have the sweet smile you had in your face while sleeping than the tears in your eyes you'd certainly have in a proper farewell as the last picture of you in my mind, my love. I swear, no matter what, I'll always have you in my heart, dear Alys._

_So long. Stay with all my love._

_Rune_

_PS: Don't mind the stains on this letter. Those are my tears for having to part ways with you._

The young hunter couldn't hold back the tears. To feel the wrinkles in the paper caused by his tears was the proof Alys needed for assurance of Rune's love. Before it, she was still in doubt whether he was being forced to leave or if he was leaving by his own will. That would not change anything, for she would not have Rune with her. However, at least it made her feel reassured that her decision the night before was not in vain, that she hasn't been fooled by Rune, that he really loved her. So she returned to the hunter's camp with a mix of sadness and relief in her soul.

Arriving at the camp, no one asked her questions. Even so, she didn't feel comfortable anymore. The sight of her simple and worn tent seemed more depressing. The familiar faces of the camp were nothing but strangers to her. In fact, the only thing that kept her among the renegade hunters was Rune. This new conclusion led Alys to make a decision that would change her life forever. She decided that it was time to leave back that part of her past and try her chances at the official Hunter's Guild, in Aiedo. Not that her ways of life would be much different: she would still be a freelancer mercenary, doing jobs for money. But the Hunter's Guild worked as a syndicate, so she would receive training, advice and legal support. Most of Motavian citizens who would contract hunters trust the Hunter's Guild, so there would always be a good offer of jobs. Other advantages would be being more respected by general citizens and customers; it had not been rare for Alys, as a renegade hunter, to be hired for illegal jobs and to have to enforce the payment of the fee after a job has been done. Being registered in the Hunter's Guild would save her from these dangers and annoyances.

Before the sun had set again, Alys had already packed up her things and left the camp that had been her home for the last few months, without even looking back. She didn't care to tell anybody she was leaving. It was a common practice to leave the camp without questions being asked; the other hunters would only notice her absence once she was halfway to Aiedo. The only memories of that camp she wanted to preserve were imprinted deeply in her heart already. Memories of her first real love. Memories of Rune. Memories of a man she wasn't sure she would see again. But a man who was responsible for her maturing process, for who she was today. A man that would always be part of her.

With the image of her beloved Esper in her mind, Alys crossed the main gates of Aiedo, ready to start a new life.

The days slipped away like the grains of sand in an hourglass. While Rune finished his training in the Esper Mansion and started performing his duties as an Esper and secretly as Lutz, Alys started her adult life in Aiedo, became a professional hunter and her skills and sense of responsibility earned her a fame amongst the hunters. After a few years, Alys Brangwin would be a name recognized everywhere. She had the life she always wished for: she was independent, she could pay her bills, she was successful in her career, and she didn't depend on anybody, especially on any man. Alys had read about the stories of old, where women were independent and strong, and she was disappointed by the reality in recent times, where most women were just housewives. She had had some superficial relationships with some men, but none of them was like Rune. Not that she was still madly in love with Rune, but she would not accept anyone worse than him for a serious relationship. The memories of Rune were still fresh in her mind after all those years, but she didn't long for him anymore. She accepted the fact that Rune would not return soon, if he ever would. She turned the page in a way that Rune was still part of her, but now only part of her past.

Seven years after Rune's departure, during a Hunter's Guild mission, Alys dismantled a small gang of young men who was performing small robberies in Aiedo's countryside. One of the criminals arrested was a 13-year boy, who had a troublesome childhood. Though the boy was rebellious, Alys noticed some hidden potential on him; he was not a rogue by trade like his companions, but just a confused boy. Alys decided to take him as a hunter apprentice and tutor him. It had not been an easy task, for she had to deal with Chaz moody personality. But the years provided Alys enough experience to help Chaz in maturing. The hunter could exercise her motherly instincts without the pains of being a real mother, and her strict discipline proved to be of great benefit for the rebel teenager.

After three years, Chaz was still somewhat rebellious, but he had improved a lot meanwhile, to the point of becoming Alys' full-fledged partner in Hunter's Guild missions. The first mission would change Alys life completely. After investigating weirdness and calamities created by a mysterious evil man of Zio name and cruel fame, Alys, Chaz and Hahn, the later a scholar that was helping investigating the origins of biomonster attacks; they were taken to the destroyed village of Molcum. There, Alys met a familiar face. From the moment she caught a glimpse of the tall blue-haired man, her heart started being faster and an overflow of emotions flooded her mind. But this time, the emotions were different from the emotions she had the last time she had seen the charming esper. After a silly argument between Chaz and Rune, Rune joined their group. However, though Alys knew her feelings for him were still fresh in her heart, he had not really returned to her life yet. Moreover, before falling in his arms again, she wanted to make sure the Rune she loved still existed, and was not only part of the past, as the old teenager Alys was just part of the past.


	4. Real Love

After their less-than-romantic meeting, Alys and Rune didn't really have the time to chat. They didn't want to discuss their past relationship in front of Chaz, especially Alys, after the disastrous Rune and Chaz meeting. So they made their way to Krup avoiding the touchy subject. It was only in Krup, at the local inn, that Alys and Rune were able to have a private chat.

"Alys..." Rune stopped Alys as she was directing herself to her room.

"Yes?" Alys turned back to her former lover.

"Can we... have a talk?" Rune held the back of his head, embarrassed.

"Sure, Rune," Alys answered coldly.

Rune frowned at the emotionless answer of his former lover. He was expecting a warmer welcome from the woman who had been his lover ten years ago, but Alys didn't seem to be particularly moved by his reappearance. Alys remained standing by her room's door, waiting for Rune to say something. The Esper hesitated, considering the alternatives.

"How are the things going?" Rune risked a non-committal question to break the ice.

"I think we have already put you on par with the situation. Obviously, you know more than us about the enemy we are facing. I don't think there is anything else I could add," Alys said so, running her fingers through her hair, in a nonchalant way, trying to avoid Rune's stare.

"Oh, Alys, that was not what I asked you," Rune tried to stare into the brunette's blue eyes and grinned. "I want to know how things are going with you."

Touched by the personal question, Alys stared at Rune's eyes, but tried to keep her cool air about herself. "I've been through the hell to become the hunter I am today and now you know where I am."

"Right," Rune was feeling uncomfortable. He didn't know whether her last remark was a stab at him for his departing ten years ago or if her careless tone really meant he didn't mean anything for her. Both alternatives were not encouraging. He tried to change the tone of the conversation. "And this boy, Shorty? Did you develop a taste for young boys?"

"Cut it out, Rune! I've saved this boy from a miserable life and I'm trying to give him a future. The only thing I want from him is that he starts walking on his own legs and become a responsible hunter."

Alys crossed her arms and her countenance showed Rune how displeased she was with his silly joke. Rune felt bad for getting Alys angry and felt even worse for not recognizing how much Alys had matured as a woman in the past ten years. She had not only become one of the most respected hunters of Motavia, but she was also helping a poor boy out of compassion. During his training as an Esper and a future Lutz, Rune not only learned powers of magic and techniques, but also learned many things about how becoming a wise leader. Even so, he wasn't as compassionate as his former lover was; he would most probably ditch the poor hot-headed boy with his own arrogance. Rune felt shadowed by Alys' greatness and wished he had not met her. Lost in his shame, Rune was surprised about Alys question.

"And how are the things going on your side, Rune?"

"Well..." The blue-haired Esper hesitated. He was unsure about what he should say. But, as the beginning of his conversation with Alys had already been a disaster, he decided to speak his mind out. "In all those ten years of absence, I've never forgotten you, Alys."

Alys was a bit surprised by Rune's frankness, but she kept her cool tone. "I've never forgotten you as well, Rune, though I believed I'd never see you again."

Rune suddenly had a grin on his face. He didn't know whether it came only from his pride or from a true feeling for the hunter, but Rune felt a sense of relief when hearing the last Alys' words. He would feel truly bad if Alys had already forgotten about him. He stretched his right arm to touch Alys' face. "Oh, Alys, I missed you so much. Now we can resume our story..."

Alys pushed his hand out of her face and shook her head. "No, Rune, we can't."

Rune was shocked by the negative reaction. "Why not?"

"It is not the same thing anymore."

Upset by Alys' reaction, Rune started being aggressive towards the hunter. "So you have never loved me, huh?"

"Don't be silly, Rune. Of course I loved you. Don't you remember what I have done for you, just to let you leave with a beautiful memory in your mind?" Alys was angry at Rune's game.

"So, what is it? Is there someone else? Have you thrown yourself in the arms of other men, forgetting about our love?"

"There is no one else, Rune, but what I have done is none of your business. Have you forgotten your words on that day? Have you forgotten that I was not supposed to keep waiting for you? Though I admit the only man I truly had deep feelings for was you, I was not waiting for you anymore. You disappeared for ten years. I had to live my life, so I moved on." Rune was stunned by Alys' determination.

"So what happened? If you still love me and I still love you, why can't we be together?" Rune became enraged and started screaming.

"Rune, please, be reasonable! Cool off! What did you expect? That ten years would not have made any difference? That you would come back and find the same silly teenager you had left sleeping in the grass after you had possessed her? Rune, ten years is a long time! A lot of water has run under the bridge during your absence. You are not the same man who had left me that day and I'm not the same woman as well. You can't just come as if nothing had happened and pretend we are at the same point we were before you had left. You don't know me anymore; that Alys of the past doesn't exist anymore. The same thing applies to you. I must rediscover you. I must learn who the new Rune is. I must fall in love with this new Rune. And you must do the same to me."

Alys closed her eyes. It was not easy to be rational while being stared by the hungry-for-love eyes of the only man she had really loved in her whole life, but she had to. All the other men, before and after Rune had been just passion, physical attraction. Even so, as hard as it was, the hunter vixen had to stand for her resolution. It was not a good time for making mistakes.

Rune let out a deep sigh. He was ashamed of himself. Alys was right, completely right. He was playing the foolish teenager. Obviously, Alys must have changed a lot in ten years and, although he believed the changes were for better, he still had to know this new Alys to be sure if he still loved her. The problem was that the sight of his former lover had an impact much larger than he expected, so it was hard to think rationally. Everything he wished for was to have her in his arms once more. Life had been very lonely in Dezoris and he longed for a heartwarming love to make him feel happy like he used to be while in Motavia, with Alys. After some seconds considering the options, Rune tried a compromise solution.

"Alys, you are right, completely right. We must take our time to know ourselves better. But we are both adults, Alys. Why can't we revive the same good experiences we had in the past while trying to know ourselves better? Though you are not exactly the same Alys I've left behind ten years ago, I guess a lot is the same. I expect you to be more mature, more responsible, wiser; an improved Alys. If I already loved the old Alys, why wouldn't I love the new and improved Alys? Let's let our feelings speak for us, with no future fears, like we did ten years ago."

Rune had some hints of despair in his eyes that made Alys shiver. It was hard to ignore the plea of the man she had once loved. It was even harder to reject his plea, when her feelings were telling her to accept his plea. Even his reasoning was right; there was nothing hindering their relationship to resume. They were mature enough to resume a pleasant and non-committal relationship until they were reassured of their love. If it never happened, they could break up in a friendly manner, no hard feelings. However, they were living in exceptional times, so the hunter had an extra reason for rejecting the Esper's plea.

"I agree with you, Rune. But not now, please. We are facing a great crisis and I'm sure you know better than me the extent of Zio's threat. As much as my heart melts to the idea of being kissed and loved by you again like you promised me you would do ten years ago, it could be a dangerous distraction to our main goal now, which is to avert this crisis that is reaching global proportions. It is not really time to think of ourselves, but to think about saving this world. When we are done with this Zio and whoever may be behind him, we may continue where we left off. But for now, let's pretend nothing had ever happened between us." Alys turned her back on Rune and entered her room. "Have a good night, Rune."

Alys slammed the door before Rune could say anything. She was right once more, but there was something he needed to tell her. As much as he could try, he would never be able to pretend nothing had happened between them. He would always be moved by Alys' presence.

As the days passed by, Alys tried to avoid Rune, making Rune feel depressed. So depressed that, coupled with the fact that he was always arguing with Chaz, he questioned his presence in the group. Part of his silly discussions with Chaz originated from his frustration of not being able to be with Alys, so he decided to leave the group just a few days after. He felt his presence was the cause of disagreements inside the group and that the group would do better with him. Besides, he could not stand Alys avoiding him and he felt his suppressed feelings for her were growing to an uncontrollable point. When the first opportunity to leave the group presented itself, Rune left without giving any further reason.

His disappearance made Alys feel a bit uneasy, but as she had her mission as a higher priority, she tried not to think too much about Rune. She focused on the increasing dangers of her journey, and, only after being wounded by the Black Energy Wave when trying to protect Chaz, Alys started missing Rune again. She knew Rune would be able to come up with a solution to break Zio's magical barrier. While sick, she gave thought to her relationship with Rune and she realized she still loved him; she loved him even more than before. Only, it was too late. She could feel she was dying and beyond help. She was certain she would never have Rune holding her in a loving embrace again, she would never taste his lips anymore, she would never make love with the man she loved so dearly. All the good memories would only lie in the past. Yet, she still wanted something from him.

Though she would never be able to accomplish the mission she was meant for, to bring peace to Algol again, she knew Chaz could take her spot and lead the mission from now on. The boy had matured enough as a hunter and as a man to be able to handle any dangerous situation in the future. However, the boy still needed someone to guide him, as he was still an impulsive teenager. There is no one more fit to that task than Rune. People often made fun of Alys for acting like a mother for Chaz, now she would ask Rune to act like a father to him. That thought made her smile, despite her being hopeless. If she was not able to live a real love with Rune, at least that idea gave their relationship a sense of closure. She would have been the mother of Rune's son. She didn't even sacrificed her freedom for that.

When Chaz returned with Rune, Alys was almost dead. She didn't have the time to say everything she had to say, but she was able to assure Chaz he would be fine. She was also able to make Rune understand what she wanted from him. She passed away feeling sure that he had understood her last desire. However, she didn't have the time to say her last words for Rune. It was not needed anyway. By the look in his eyes during her parting words, Alys died in peace because she knew he really loved her.

Despite being the one who had more reasons to cry over Alys' death, Rune managed to hold back his tears. He was aware that Alys would not be there anymore to give her love, her kisses, herself completely to him. The only thing that remained was the memories of her love. It was not the perfect situation, but, given the tragic reality he was powerless to change, at least, by the look in her eyes, Rune knew she died loving him. It was enough to give him the strength to carry on for it was the answer for the question that tormented his mind. And the answer was _real love_.


	5. Living the Real Love 'optional chapter'

_This chapter is just a bonus for those who longed for a happy end for this couple. It is based on another fan fiction I wrote, **The Mad Telemental**, so people who didn't read it will not understand what is going on. There is an extra reason for you to read it in addition to the fact that the fan fiction is awesome per se :p_

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><p>Two years after defeating the Profound Darkness, Rune, who had finally taken officially his position as Lutz, held a conference with Espers in Esper Mansion to discuss the works of reconstructing Algol. Though Dezoris had not been affected so hard as Motavia, they had still lots of work to do. Thanks to Demi and Wren help, they had precise information about the systems that were still alive, controlling different aspects of the solar system environment. The android couple was working very hard to stabilize useful systems and to shut down the rest. More than 1,000 years after Mother Brain's demise, it was time to stabilize the solar system once again.<p>

There was also a special esper, placed in Motavia, helping the reconstruction of that planet. He was invited to join the Espers conference to present the situation of the neighbor planet, to coordinate the Motavian computer systems repairs with Wren and Demi and to discuss the next steps in the reconstruction of the planet. After the meeting, Rune asked him to stay for a bit longer to discuss particularities of Motavian reconstruction, as that esper was not just a common esper, but also a telemental like him.

"Hey, weirdo, tell me more about Motavian reconstruction. Are people cooperating? I know people here in Dezoris trust the knowledge and wisdom of espers because they are used to our presence in daily activities. Raja has been helping us a lot by convincing the Dezorians to help us in the reconstruction task, and apart from their terrible jokes, the Dezorians work hard. I'm worried about you, alone, coordinating all the reconstruction jobs in Motavia." Rune treated the other telemental in a very informal way, but the other telemental didn't seem to care.

"Well, Rune, things are a bit harder there. The Motavians do most of the hard work. As for the Palmians, well, they don't help very much. They have developed an aversion for computer systems, so they will never help me fixing the broken systems. I have to do almost all the work alone. You don't know how much I celebrate when Wren or Demi order me to shut down a system. Frying them is very easy with Nafoi. Fixing them, even with my gifted mind, is always an impossible task. I don't understand a word of what Wren and Demi tell me to do. Studying electronics consumes all my free time! You screwed me giving me Motavia to take care of!"

The telemental's lament made Rune laugh. "Who told you it would be easy?"

"It would be far easier to face three representations of Profound Darkness alone, at the same time."

"But you had a much more important task in your mind while we were facing Profound Darkness, didn't you, weirdo?" Rune winked at the other telemental. "What about Chaz and Rika? Aren't they helping you?"

"Chaz?" The telemental laughed. "Oh, that boy won't help with anything. Since he went to live together with the Numan girl, he completely forgot about his obligations. I can't blame him, though. He had faced such a terrible ordeal at such a young age that I think he really deserves a break. Both Chaz and Rika are very young, they will have the time to mature and finally understand the need of helping us rebuilding the planet. You know, when we are in love, we forget about all the rest. It is as if the world existed only for us. I know well this feeling."

Rune let out a deep sigh. "Yes, you are right." His voice had hints of sadness in it. "Anyway, I'm so glad you finally understood the need of helping the others. Keep up the good work."

"Thanks, Rune."

"I think you may go now, if you want." Rune motioned to leave his Lutz throne.

"Wait!" The telemental made Rune stop. "I know I can't consider myself your friend, but I consider you as my friend, Rune. I've noticed you are feeling sad."

"Oh, don't worry, weirdo." Rune dismissed the telemental's worries with a wave of hands. "It is nothing really important. Soon I will be fine."

The telemental insisted. "Please, Rune. Tell me what happened. I may be able to help you."

"No one can help me with it."

"Why not? You know I'm very powerful. Please, tell me what happened and I may help you." The telemental seemed sincere in his will to help. "You seemed to be upset by my comments about Chaz. Is there anything wrong with the boy?"

Rune shook his head. "Oh no, absolutely not. I think it is something wrong with me, but let's not worry about it."

"Come on, spill it out!" The telemental was being annoyingly persistent.

"Alright..." Rune sighed. "You know what makes me sad? I feel lonely."

"I know, sometimes it makes me sad too, but I think I've already got over it." The telemental lost a bit the focus on the conversation while thinking about his past.

"You mean the girls you had been chasing all around the universe while we were fighting Profound Darkness, heh?" Rune said so with his voice filled with sarcasm.

The telemental ignored the sarcasm. "Anyway, I messed it up. I deserve to be alone. But you don't."

"Well..." Rune sighed. "I have never told it to anyone else, but I'll tell you, my friend. Did Chaz ever tell you about Alys?"

The telemental smiled. "All the time. When I met him, I thought he was in love with the girl, so much he talked about her. But then I realized he just considered her as his guide and mentor."

"So..." Rune hesitated. "Well, I don't have any reasons to not tell you. I was in love with her. I'm still in love with her. We have been lovers in the past. Now she is gone and I still miss her. I'm doomed to live the rest of my life alone, sad, thinking of her, remembering the good times by her side... I'm sure she loved me as well. But she is dead. Dead! What can I do? There is no way of living this love again..."

The telemental stood in silence for a few seconds, when a sudden thought crossed his mind. "Wait! There is a way."

"What?" Rune was baffled by the suggestion.

"Yes, Rune, there is a way for you to have Alys again." The telemental's eyes were shining.

"You must be kidding!" Rune's countenance showed utter disbelief.

"No, I'm not. Someone can do it. Princess Marlena!"

"Princess Marlena?" Rune was confused. He didn't remember hearing about such a woman.

"The girl who revived Nei, Anna and the healer..."

"Wait wait!" Rune remembered who the girl was and it made him feel uneasy. "Are you saying that the girl can get Alys revived?"

"Of course she can! If there will be some benefit for the future, she can do it."

Rune could notice how much the telemental admired and loved the woman he had just mentioned, and he feared the telemental could be becoming mad again. "I can hardly believe it to be possible. But I am not sure about the idea. I don't know if I can justify reviving Alys..."

"Don't worry, my friend." The telemental stood up in order to leave the room. "Leave it all to me. I'll stay here some days more and I promise I'll help you. You deserve to live this love."

"Oh, thanks for trying. By the way, what happened to that woman? What happened to them all? Have you really left them in a planet outside Algol?"

"Yes, I did." The telemental was clearly moved by the memories of the girls he had left behind.

"They were originally from here. Why don't you bring them back?" Rune shrugged.

"I don't know."

"You are mad." Rune shook his head.

"Well, I know how to find her."

The telemental left the room. Rune stayed wondering if it was really possible to revive Alys and if he should let her be revived. He didn't know what would happen if she was revived. Maybe she would ignore him. Maybe she would become evil. Maybe her revival would trigger other calamities in Algol. He didn't know what to expect from the unbelievable revival process and he even questioned if it was fair to revive a woman just to cure him from his loneliness. He knew it was not a good idea, given the reputation of the man, but he decided to leave it to the telemental anyway.

After a week, the telemental entered the Lutz private room running and shouting excitedly.

"Reverend Lutz! Reverend Lutz! I've got it!"

"What?" Rune, who was lost in his thoughts, was startled by the noisy presence of the telemental. "Oh, it is you, weirdo."

"I've got it! She agreed!" The telemental kept running towards Rune, shaking a sheet of paper he had in his hands.

"Why are you so excited, man?" Rune was annoyed by the telemental's grin.

The telemental held Rune by the arms and started shaking him. "She agreed! She will come!"

"Who?"

"Princess Marlena! She agreed on reviving Alys!"

"What?" Rune was startled by the news. "Give me this letter!" He took the letter from the telemental's hands with violence and started reading it. His heart was pounding madly inside his chest. He could not believe what his eyes were reading. He let the letter slip from his hands and fell on his knees, crying.

"I knew it was the right thing to do, Rune. I'll get the things ready for you."

"How can this be possible?" Rune was still so moved that he couldn't believe it was true. He feared it would be a joke, a mistake.

"You may ask her when you meet her." The telemental had a big smile in his face. His eyes were also wet.

Rune stood up again and tried to regain control of himself. He had noticed the way the telemental was moved by the news. Anything related to the princess always had a deep emotional impact on him.

"She states she doesn't want to meet you. Sorry about that." Rune tried to comfort the telemental.

"You don't need to feel sorry about it." The telemental shook his head. "It is alright."

"No, it is not. I can see it is not. I can see you really love that woman. Why don't you try to explain it to her? You have changed. You have become a better man. Maybe you can change her opinion about you. If she is really the marvelous person you say she is, she will surely forgive you."

"No, leave it the way it is."

"It is not fair, weirdo. You are helping me by bringing my love back to me. Why shouldn't I help you having your love back? No, I will try to convince her to give you a second chance."

"Don't do it, Rune. I beg you."

"Why not, man?"

The telemental swallowed hard. "I think it is my turn to confess you something I've never told anybody else. Princess Marlena once loved someone very dearly. And I... I..." The telemental couldn't hold back his tears. "Killed this person..." He broke down in tears. "The person... who healed me..."

"By Great Light!" Rune was shocked by the telemental's confession. He had never imagined the telemental had killed someone. At least not without a purpose. That man's past was more mysterious than the current Lutz had previously thought. However, he was not in the mood for probing the secrets of his friend's past; he was anxious to meet the owner of that unique power which promised to bring her beloved Alys back to life.

Rune returned to Motavia for the first time since he had finally defeated Profound Darkness and stayed there, waiting for the girl to arrive. The telemental explained him it would take her some days to travel from the planet she was to Motavia, but Rune traveled to Motavia immediately. He had nothing else in his mind, but Alys. He knew he was acting like a teenager, forgetting his duties as the Lutz for a while, but for Alys it sounded okay. After all, he was still a human. He deserved a break. He deserved to love and be loved. He deserved a happy end too, like Chaz and Rika. If it were not possible to have Alys again, he would have to accept it. However, if he had just a small chance of having her again, he would cling to it until the end.

After a couple of days, early in the morning, Rune was surprised by a knock on the door of the inn room he was occupying in Aiedo while waiting for the princess to come. When he opened the door, he was confronted by the figure of a short cyan-haired woman, wearing a long silk and satin white dress. She wore a silver diadem on her head and lots of assorted jewelry; she also had a purse with her. Her eyes shone in an impressive combination of cyan and blue, something he had never seen in his life. She was surely the prettiest woman he had ever seen in his life and her smile sent shivers down his spine. He let his jaw drop.

"Rune?"

"Yes! It is me." Rune answered in a rush, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"I think he have already met before, didn't we? I am Marlena." Her voice was very melodic, sounding like music to his ears.

"Oh, I think we did." Rune was trying to work his mind on remembering their only meeting more than three years ago. His heart raced like mad in his chest.

"The telemental send me to bring a woman back to life. I can't guarantee the success of the operation, but I'm willing to try it for you. Are you ready?"

"Yes, I am." Rune answered in a hurry.

"Are you sure? Shirtless and shoeless?" The cyan-haired princess laughed at him, shyly.

"Uh?" Rune was confused for a brief moment before being aware of his semi-nakedness. "Sorry, I'll be back in a few minutes."

Rune slammed the door and hurriedly put on some clothes. He was ashamed of himself, but not because he had presented himself shirtless to the girl. In the past, he would love to do it to a young and pretty girl like the princess, as he was certain she would like what she saw. However, besides not noticing any changes in the cyan-haired girl's countenance that could indicate she was interested in him, he was feeling very bad because he was interested in her. There was something in that woman that made him feel immediately attracted to her. No wonder the telemental was so in love with her. He didn't have the time to think of her, though. She was there for Alys. He was there for Alys. So, he tried to dismiss the thoughts towards the mysterious princess.

As he opened the door again, the girl was patiently waiting for him.

"Ready?"

"Yes, let's hurry." Rune started leading the way and motioned the princess to follow him.

"I can see you are anxious to have her revived, but there is no need to hurry." The princess said so calmly, while trying to keep the same pace of the desperate esper.

"Huh? Sorry, Marlena. We will be there soon; she is buried in this city's graveyard." Rune slowed his pace. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"How is it possible? How can you revive a dead person? With all my knowledge and all the knowledge I've inherited from the ones before me, I've heard of people who could reverse near-death conditions, but I've never heard of anyone being able to revive a dead person."

"I don't know it myself." The princess was feeling shy. "I just know that I was able to revive some flowers and then the telemental happened, asking me to revive those girls. I tried and it worked. I can't guarantee I'll be able to revive this woman, because I have no control over the process."

"I understand you. I don't want to put any pressure on you. Just do what you are able to do."

"Heh, that would be a first, to be able to do it without being pressed." The princess grinned with her own sarcastic remark.

"Why?" Rune was confused.

"Didn't the telemental tell you? He threatened to kill me if I didn't revive them." Despite of the contents of the message, Rune could not feel any hate in Marlena's voice.

"Wow! I knew the man was mad, but not that mad!" Rune was surprised.

Marlena shrugged. "But now he is healed, isn't he? If he doesn't harm anyone else, that is enough for me."

Rune was speechless. After the telemental's confession, how could the girl not have anything against him? He still hated Zio, Dark Force and Profound Darkness for what they had done to Alys and another number of innocents. That woman was something he could not understand, with all his wisdom and knowledge.

They walked in silence to the graveyard. Rune felt deep emotions at the sight of his former lover's grave and started crying. The princess rubbed his back in a friendly way and smiled at him.

"In a few hours, I want to see you crying tears of joy. I need to have her exhumed."

Rune ran to the graveyard administration and demanded them to exhume Alys body. Though it was illegal, as he was not responsible for her, they didn't question the Lutz orders. During the exhumation, Rune felt sick. He felt an extreme repulse for the partly decayed body of his former lover. If the revival process didn't work, he would go mad at the princess for disrespecting Alys' body. The princess' coolness made him feel less comfortable. After the exhumation was complete, Marlena asked the gravediggers to lay Alys body on the floor. They were feeling uneasy, but complied with her request.

The sight was too much for Rune. He preferred to have never seen Alys body partly decayed, with vermin scattered all over the chunks of flesh that remained. No, that was an unbearable humiliation to his former lover. He turned his back on Marlena, hating her for what he and Alys' body had to endure. The princess sat down beside the corpse, left her purse beside her.

"I'm starting it now. It may take a while, so please, be patient. You can watch the process if you want. I just ask you to never interrupt me, for it may ruin the whole process and make it impossible to revive her and, for your safety, never, ever stare into my eyes."

The esper just mumbled unintelligible words as an answer. He considered the last princess' instruction awkward, but he was not in the mood of discussing. He was so angry that he wanted to kick that woman in the face for disrespecting Alys' corpse. He waited impatiently for almost one hour before trying to look at the princess again. After feeling a cold chill down his spine, he didn't resist anymore. When he turned his head, he was baffled; Marlena had the corpse's head lain on her lap. No, he couldn't control his anger anymore. That woman was mad. He had to stop that ridiculous act. He started walking towards Marlena, with the intention of kicking her in the head, but he balked at the sight of Alys' corpse.

The corpse was partly recovered, with almost all the skin and flesh reconstructed. Even parts of the outfit Alys wore when she was buried were reconstructed in order to preserve her modesty. It was an amazing sight. Rune couldn't believe his eyes. He was ashamed of himself again. Even if the princess was unable to bring Alys back, what she had already done was unbelievable. Rune calmed down and sat on a small wall, behind the princess, in order to watch the revival process. He was marveled to see the princess guiding her imposed right hand over Alys body as if she was retouching a piece of art. He would never be able to understand Marlena's magic powers.

After an hour, Alys' body was perfectly reconstructed, yet she was still dead. Rune grew impatient as the minutes passed and nothing else happened. But now he believed in the princess power. And he was sure Marlena was doing it out of compassion. He could see that the princess respected and loved Alys, without even knowing her. So he tried to be patient and let the princess take all the time she needed.

After one hour more, the princess let a deep sigh and started passing out. Rune was startled by it and ran towards the girl. Arriving near the girl, who had resisted fainting, he stopped. He was shocked, so shocked he could not move. The princess was gently stroking Alys brown hair with one hand and caressing her cheeks with the other. Alys was breathing again. Tears were falling from Marlena's eye to Alys face. The brown-haired woman opened her eyes.

"Alys…" The princess greeted the resurrected woman with a beautiful smile.

"Huh? What happened?" Alys was confused.

"You are alive, Alys."

"Alive?" Alys frowned. "Alive? Alive!" Suddenly she became aware of what it meant. "How? Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter, Alys. The only thing that matters is that you are alive."

"Alys!" Rune screamed and knelt down beside Alys.

"Rune? Is it you?" Alys was suddenly moved by her former lover's voice.

"Alys!" Rune took Alys in his arms. As the princess predicted, he was crying tears of joy. "I can't believe you are here with me again, my love."

"Oh, Rune!" Alys embraced Rune. "What happened? Am I really alive?"

"You are, my love. You are." Rune tried to comfort his former lover.

"Where are we?" Alys looked around was the sight of the tombstones scared her. She became desperate. "Are we in a graveyard? Why? Were you about to bury me? Where are the others? Who is that woman?"

"Calm down, calm down, my love. Everything is alright." Rune tightened the embrace on her. "I'll explain everything to you, but what I can say to you now is that you have been dead for almost three years."

"Three years?"

"Yes, my love, I'll explain everything. You remember you died from Zio's dark energy wave, don't you?" Alys nodded in agreement. "So, my love, we resumed our journey and defeated all the evil. All the other are doing fine. Chaz, Rika, Gryz, Demi, Hahn, they are all safe. I was feeling lonely, I never stopped thinking about you, and I have never stopped loving you, Alys."

"Oh, it is so hard to believe such a thing to be true, my love. But you are here and it is all that matters." The resurrected woman was still confused.

"A friend of mine, Esper like me, told me about this woman. He told me she could bring you back. I never believed it to be true, but you should have seen what his girl has done. Her power is something unique. I've never seen anything like it. She took your decayed corpse and reconstructed your body perfectly, including your clothes. Then, she made life flows in your body again."

"Oh, Rune, I must thank this woman." Alys made Rune release her from his embrace, and then she turned back to the girl who had revived her. Marlena was standing up, smiling at the happy couple. Alys threw herself in Marlena's arms. Rune was surprised; he had never seen Alys so passionate. "I have no words to say how thankful I am for what you have done for me."

The princess, who was feeling exhausted, accepted the embrace for a few moments, and then gently pushed the hunter away. "I'm happy to see you are alive. You deserved it." Marlena had a serene smile on her face.

"Oh, Marlena…" Rune joined the two women. "What can I say to you? What you have done today… you came here just to revive her for me. It is something hard to believe."

"I know. This star system asks for someone wise to coordinate its reconstruction. This person needs to exert his leadership with love. He must know the real love to teach the others how to share their love. To know the real love, he must live it. Besides, because of the distance between the two planets, one is not enough for the task that lies ahead. That is why this rare event took place here, today."

Rune and Alys stared into each other's eyes and smiled, for it had not been a vain act; they deserved to live that love and it would be the base for building greater things. Rune turned to the princess "And how can I thank you for your effort in helping us, Marlena?"

"Just love her with all your heart."

Rune was still feeling uncomfortable. He wanted to reward the person that made it possible for him to have his beloved Alys back by his side. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Marlena shook her head. "No, there isn't, Rune. I'll only wait for the telemental take me back."

"Don't you want to stay? To come back home? That rascal told me what he had done to you."

Marlena shook her head again. "Thanks, Rune, but we are doing something really important there, building a new kingdom. I think we should stick there."

"I see." Rune frowned, as he was not able to do anything for the princess. Then, he remembered of the telemental's confession and the way he loved Marlena. "Don't you need some love to be able to perform your task like Alys and I do?"

"Thanks, Rune, I have already all the love I need and much more than that." The princess blushed a bit.

"Really?" Rune looked confused. "The telemental told me he had killed the person you loved."

"He almost did it, but fortunately my love survived the whole ordeal." The princess opened her purse and took out a bottle filled with a yellow liquid. A strong scent of lilies filled the air. "Before I forget, there is something my love has sent Alys. She told me Alys might feel weak in the future, so she prepared this medicine. Alys shall take a spoonful of it every month and another spoonful whenever she feels unexpected internal pains or weakness. If the bottle is emptied or there is some accident, ask the telemental to tell me, so she can prepare another bottle for you." Marlena handed the bottle to Alys.

"Thanks." The hunter took the bottle in her hands and looked at it with curiosity.

"So your love is alive? I shall tell the telemental the news. He tortures himself thinking he killed him..." The princess interrupted the Lutz.

"No, Rune, don't do it. It is not the right time. If he learns she is alive, he may want to go after us. He is not ready yet. Don`t tell him anything I may have told you."

"As you wish." Rune shrugged, but then realized something that made him ask the princess startled. "Hey, did you say _she_ is alive?"

"Stop it, Rune! This girl had just brought the love of your life back to you and you will put her life under scrutiny? Aren`t you happy with me? Let her be happy with the love of her life as well." Alys scolded Rune.

"Uh, sorry, Marlena." Rune put his arm around Alys shoulder. "But you don't know how I missed being scolded by her." The trio laughed.

The princess closed her eyes "Well, I think it is time to part ways with you. Farewell, Rune and Alys. Bring this star system to its former glory. Moreover, cherish your love daily. " The princess turned back and started walking outside Aiedo.

"Farewell Marlena!" Rune and Alys answered in unison.

The princess looked back, smiled, and then resumed walking away. The couple stayed for some moments embraced, watching the princess disappear from their sight. Then, Rune turned to Alys and held her face in his hands.

"Oh, Alys, my love. Tell me it is not a dream. Tell me you are here with me once more."

"It is not a dream, Rune. I knew our love was not just a dream. I knew you would fulfill your promise to kiss me again."

The couple kissed passionately for several minutes. After more than a decade without kissing Alys' lips, it was an exhilarating sensation for Rune. Alys' lips tasted sweeter than before. And, in fact, they did, and Rune knew why. It was not because it took him thirteen years and a miracle to allow Rune to feel the taste of Alys' lips again. It was because that was the first kiss after he was completely sure that Alys truly loved him.

Alys had the same feeling in her heart, but she hadn't had the opportunity to rationalize the situation. To be revived was a very awkward idea to be digested in a few minutes. One thing she had clear in her mind, however. To be dead made her realize how important it was for her to share her love with all her might before it was too late. Not that she regretted what she had done in the past, for she knew it was needed to make her relationship with Rune blossom. But now she knew better what she was supposed to do with her own life, which goals to seek, how to make better decisions. In addition, she knew better how she could give her love to the love of her life.

They were so absorbed in their own love that they didn't notice a plasma circle forming in the horizon and a translucent plasma bubble rising to the sky, with the princess inside. The princess felt a warm feeling in her heart, knowing that she had done the right thing, and happy to see the joy in the faces of the two lovers. The bubble was rising very slowly, so the princess witnessed some of their talk after they finally stopped kissing and walked back to Aiedo's inn, as if she was Great Light herself smiling at the beautiful sight of a couple who truly loved each other.

"Oh Rune, I've been away for three years. You must tell me what happened after I died." Alys was anxious.

"Well, from where can I start?" Rune paused for a moment, but the pause didn't last long because he immediately realized which would be the obvious answer. "Well, after you died, we resumed our fight against Zio and we managed to defeat him. Then, we discovered there was an ancient evil force behind him called Dark Force, which used to appear every 1,000 years in Algol. We defeated this force and then discovered there was a stronger force behind it, since the creation of the universe, trying to destroy Algol. We defeated this evil force. Now we hope all the evil is gone for good." Rune rushed the explanation because he was not in the mood for retelling their whole journey.

"You need to explain me those things, I didn't understand it very well." Alys was confused.

"Later I can tell you the entire story with more details."

"Alright." Alys bit her lower lip. "And then, what have you all done?"

"We started reconstructing the planets, after the calamities caused by the Dark Forces. There is so much to do; I'll devote my life to this task."

"No." Alys stopped walking and turned to Rune. "You will devote your life to me. Then, if I allow you, you may work in this reconstruction."

"Oh, Alys… I missed so much your bossy temper." Rune laughed.

"I'm not joking!" Alys pretended to be angry, just to tease Rune. "But it is very nice of you to be helping the reconstruction of our solar system."

Rune, noticing the sincerity of Alys' words, answered in a serious tone. "Well, Alys, you know that my duty is to oversee the solar system's protection and well-being. If it was not my duty, I'd have never left you back then, you know that."

"I know Rune, and that is a reason more for me loving you. Well, do you know what happened to my former house? I can't wait for settling down here in Aiedo again and work with you in reconstructing Motavia, my love."

Alys smiled in a way that left Rune embarrassed. He started rubbing his hand in the back of his neck, trying to think in a better way to tell Alys what he had to say. "Alys, there is a problem... I'm living in Dezoris. I must stay in the Esper Mansion."

"Dezoris? No way will I be going to live in that icy planet!" Alys couldn't hide her distaste for the planet.

Rune frowned. Her words were like needles piercing his eardrums, getting inside his veins and stabbing his heart. He had gone so far to bring her back and now that he was so close to having the love of his life with him again, she objected. What hurt more was the fact that she said so in a very cold manner. Was he wrong about her love? But they have kissed so passionately just a few minutes before. Could it be that he was wrong and Alys didn't truly love him? Could it be that, absorbed in his own feelings, he ended mixing up reality with his own hopes, wishes and dreams? Could it be that the Alys he loved so dearly only existed inside his mind? He was very confused, but one thing he was certain; if it was needed, he would sacrifice his love for a greater good. He would not abandon the Esper Mansion. He had to go back to Dezoris, no matter what.

"Alys, you know, as much as I love you, I can't leave my position as Lutz, I can't betray the trust millions of Motavians and Dezorians have in me. If you will not come with me, I have either to fail on my mission and fail on millions of people who depend on Lutz or to sacrifice my happiness. And you already know my decision." Rune spoke his heart out. He could not hide the sadness in his voice.

Alys pushed Rune's shoulder playfully and smiled, leaving him completely lost about her thoughts. "Of course I know what your decision would be and that is a reason more for me to love you, silly boy. But I'm asking you neither. "

"So what, Alys?"

The hunter, noticing the anxiety in Rune's voice, burst in laughter. "Oh, Rune, I never expected you to believe we would live together as husband and wife! Do you think I'd sacrifice my freedom to become the boring reclusive wife of Lutz?" Alys shook her head. "No, of course not. But I have the perfect solution for us. I stay here in Motavia helping my people and you stay in Dezoris helping your people. Meanwhile, you come to Motavia to visit me whenever you miss me and I go to Dezoris whenever I miss you. I promise you I'll never let you feel lonely anymore." Alys suddenly embraced Rune, pulled his body tightly towards hers and started running her hands through his body in an insinuating way. "And I'll never leave you hunger for me anymore."

Rune couldn't resist the temptation and kissed Alys passionately one more time. For an outsider, it would look like they were trying to compensate for all the years of absence. But they were just living their love, not looking into the past, not worrying about the future. Both Alys and Rune were sure that, whatever happened in the future, they should not worry about their love; it would never end, because that is what happens in a relationship based on real love. After some minutes absorbed in their love, Alys, who still had many doubts in her mind, resumed the conversation.

"As I'll stay here, I must ask you some questions, my love. Is there anyone taking care of Motavia?"

"Yes, there is. Weirdo."

"Weirdo?" Alys looked confused. "Who is weirdo?"

"The telemental. The guy who brought Marlena here. He was a strange man when I first met him. According to himself and to Marlena, he was healed from his madness by Marlena's, yeah…, friend… and now he has become a great ally. He is still madly in love with Marlena. I think he will be pleased to have someone to work together. He was complaining to me one of these days that nobody helped him."

"Well, if he is not working properly, I can adjust him." The couple laughed. "Well, I can understand why he is in love with Marlena. When I had just opened my eyes again, there was something in her eyes I'll never forget. I think it was pure love…" Alys hesitated for some moments while trying to digest what she had just been through when a thought crossed her mind. "Hey, Rune, what about Chaz?"

"Ah, Chaz? You would be proud of him; he fought bravely the greatest dangers. Without him, we would never be able to save Algol."

Alys smiled. "I'm so happy to learn all my efforts were not in vain… And where is he now?"

The blue haired man shrugged. "I don't know. He married Rika and, according to the telemental's report, he is not helping him too much. The telemental told me he is just enjoying his married life."

"What?" Alys seemed to be shocked. "That rascal is lazing around with the cute girl while there are lots of things to be done? No, Rune, we must find him immediately! I'll teach him a lesson he will never forget! How does he dare to forget all my teachings?" Alys' tone was very angry.

Rune answered laughing. "Give Shorty a break! He is just a boy."

"No way! If he thought he could become a lazy man just because I was not there, he is completely wrong! We must find him now!"

Rune burst in laughter. The couple then walked slowly towards the Aiedo inn, embraced. It was just the new beginning of an old love story that survived the greatest hardships, but thrived because it was built on true love. From that day on, Alys and Rune worked together rebuilding Algol, making it a better place to live in. The evil had been vanquished, but it was a long way from the absence of evil to the omnipresence of love, and Alys, Rune, Chaz, Rika, the telemental, and many others have just planted the first seeds to make Algol the paradise people had in their minds.

Marlena, while distancing from Algol for the last time, had tears in her eyes. She was not crying for missing the solar system that was the former home of her people. She was not crying for what she had left behind. She was crying because she was sure all the suffering and pain that people had endured through the millennia was on the way to be just part of their past. She was sure Algol was in good hands and they would never repeat the same mistakes of their predecessors because they knew what the real love was and they would never let this knowledge be forgotten anymore.


End file.
